My love language has always been gift giving, so as you can imagine, I take the holiday season seriously. It’s like my own personal Olympics. And while many of my friends and family members start brainstorming gifts just a few weeks before winter break, I start brainstorming in July. That’s not an exaggeration. Each year, during the height of summer, I open a note on my phone and start adding ideas to it. By the time winter rolls around, I have my gifts bought, assembled, and wrapped. And I’m waiting impatiently to give them all out. Because of my fascination with gift giving, I rarely allocate any of my budget to myself. If I do, that means a product is really special. That’s the case with a few Nordstrom beauty products I came across during my gift-giving research—well, 12 to be exact. They were all so promising that I couldn’t help but keep them for myself. Keep scrolling to see all 12!
Now and then, I love adding a kitschy beauty product to my routine. The key is to find one that’s as effective as it is joyful, such as this body scrub. With virgin coconut oil, cocoa butter, and sugar, it exfoliates, softens, and smooths the skin. With a fresh hot cocoa scent, it smells warm and cozy—perfect for these dreary winter days. (PS: the Coco Mint version is just as good.)
The Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Blush in 001 Pink ($40) went viral earlier this year, and I have to say it lives up to the hype. While it looks shockingly pink in the package, it’s subtler and more youthful on the skin. I already have that shade, and I use it quite often, but now I’m looking at this soft rose color, aptly named Rosewood. It looks so flattering; I can’t wait to try it.
This powder has been on my wish list for months, and I finally caved and bought one. The color-correcting powder is super-finely milled, which means it mattifies the skin without caking (or even, apparently, being detectable at all). The blurring and illuminating effect looks so pretty when I see it on Instagram and TikTok.
This vitamin C serum is one of my all-time favorites, so of course I had to replenish my stock while holiday shopping. It’s formulated with 20% pure, stable vitamin C, so it’s powerful. Over time, it’s significantly brightened my discoloration.
I got really into lymphatic drainage massages and at-home body tools this year, so I felt compelled to buy this sleek product the second I saw it. With a contoured design, it’s meant to hug the curves of the body and encourage detoxification and sculpting.
This year, I want to hone my hairstyling abilities, specifically when it comes to using hair rollers. I’ve seen the videos on Instagram and TikTok, and I know how they can lift and volumize fine, flat hair. I want in, so I’m buying this budget-friendly set from Drybar to get started.
Come winter, I can’t help but wear this fragrance every day. With notes of burning wood and chestnuts, it’s meant to evoke the scent of a fireplace. That might make you think it smells strong and smokey, but it doesn’t. Notes of orange flower and vanilla lighten it up and add some sweetness to it. To me, it’s one of the best warm and cozy fragrances out there.
I need to level up my at-home manicures, and I’ll do that with this Chanel nail polish. The shade, called Pirate, is a vibrant cherry red that’s sure to fit any season or situation. To me, it just looks so classic and expensive.
Sofia Richie Grainge and Margot Robbie are both fans of this lipstick, and now I am too. It’s actually more of a tinted lip balm since it has a moisture-rich formula and offers buildable color. It feels comfortable on the lips and looks soft and flattering. This was another can’t-miss restock for me.
As any skin expert will tell you, you shouldn’t stop using sunscreen in the winter. I’ll be using this sunscreen stick on days when I’m not wearing makeup to cool, hydrate, and protect my skin. It protects against high-energy visible light, infrared radiation, and environmental aggressors. It’s 360-skin protection.
Another product that I already use and love, this concealer has become a nonnegotiable part of my makeup routine. The innovative formula is infused with powder, which means it’s basically self-setting on the skin. I only need to apply it and blend it out, and my skin looks velvety and radiant.
Hair masks are kind of my thing. Well, they have to be because I have dry, chemically processed hair. While I certainly have my favorite formulas, I want to try this one next. It uses olive fruit and avocado oils to deeply moisturize damaged hair. It’s just what I need.
